EG02 - Man of the House

by Joan Jonker

  ‘If ’e tried, he’d ’ave to get through me first.’ Eileen pretended to roll her sleeves up. ‘There’s nothin’ I’d like better than to knock Danny Jackson into the middle of next week.’

  Bill’s slow smile accompanied his knowing nod. ‘She could too, you know. Mr Jackson would be well advised to steer clear of my wife. She’s got a left hook like Joe Louis.’

  ‘I’ve changed our Billy’s bed, so why don’t you take Carol up and ’ave a lie down?’ Eileen asked. ‘I’ll give yer a shout when the tea’s ready.’

  ‘I think I will, if you don’t mind.’ Vera’s whole body ached, and her head was splitting. ‘But I feel terrible putting Billy out of his bed.’

  ‘That’s one worry yer can forget about,’ Eileen assured her. ‘He won’t mind in the least.’

  Eileen showed them into the small box room, kissed Carol, then made her way downstairs shaking her head. ‘I know yer don’t like me swearing, Bill, but that Danny would make a saint swear. He’s a rotten swine, an’ the sooner Vera can get away from ’im, the better.’

  ‘I agree with you, but that’s easier said than done.’ Bill tore a strip off the Echo and folded it into a taper. Pushing it between the bars of the grate he waited till it caught fire, then lit his cigarette. ‘She hasn’t got much of a future to look forward to.’

  ‘That’s the understatement of the year, that is! She’s got no bloody …’

  ‘Ssssh!’ Bill put a warning finger to his lips just as Edna dashed in.

  ‘Mam, Mrs Maddox wants yer.’

  ‘Oh, no!’ Eileen groaned. ‘What does she want?’

  ‘I dunno.’ Edna was bobbing up and down, her spindly legs crossing and uncrossing. ‘She just said to ask yer to go down ’cos she wanted a word with yer.’ Message delivered, Edna turned on her heels eager to return to the game of skipping, when her mother’s thunderous voice halted her in her tracks.

  ‘Where d’yer think you’re goin’?’ Eileen stood in the middle of the room, hands on her wide hips. ‘Down the yard to the lavvy, if yer don’t mind.’

  ‘Ah, ay, Mam! It’s my turn to jump in!’ Edna protested, her legs clamped firmly together. ‘They’re waitin’ for me.’

  ‘Then let them wait.’ Eileen raised an arm and pointed to the kitchen door. ‘Down the yard before yer wet yer knickers.’ As Edna dashed past, huffing and puffing at the injustice, Eileen added, ‘That’s if yer ’aven’t wet them already, yer lazy faggot.’

  ‘It’s a wonder Cissie didn’t come up herself.’ Bill blew a smoke ring in the air. ‘Wonder what she wants?’

  ‘Give me two guesses, Bill, an’ I bet I’ll get it right. She’s either seen all the comin’ and goin’, an’ her nose is twitchin’ to find out what’s happenin’, or she’s on the cadge to borrow somethin’.’

  ‘You’re being bad minded, chick,’ Bill chuckled.

  ‘I’ll bet yer two bob I’m right.’ Eileen gazed at her reflection in the mirror and grimaced. ‘I look as though I’ve been dragged through a hedge, backwards.’

  ‘You look all right to me, chick.’

  Eileen’s eyes slid across the mirror till she had Bill in her sight. I look all right, she thought. Not nice, or attractive, just all right. Would it kill yer to pay me a compliment now and again, Bill Gillmoss, or am I not even worth that?

  ‘I’d better get down and see what nose fever wants.’ Eileen walked slowly towards the door, her feelings down in the dumps. ‘If it’s a loan she’s after, she’s out of luck.’

  Cissie was waiting on the front step, her arms folded across her tummy. She’d been like a cat on hot bricks for hours, watching through the net curtains the flurry of activity at Eileen’s. She was dying to know what was going on but couldn’t think of an excuse to talk to Eileen. Then she happened to look in the back entry to see where her daughter was, and she witnessed a scene that gave her the excuse she needed.

  ‘Yer wanted to see me, Cissie?’

  ‘Well, yer know I’m not one to carry tales,’ Cissie’s expression was as innocent as a baby’s, ‘but I thought yer should know.’

  Eileen almost laughed in Cissie’s face. Not one to carry tales? The woman thrived on gossip! ‘What should I know, Cissie?’

  ‘Well,’ Cissie’s mouth formed a straight line, ‘I saw your Billy smokin’ in the entry.’

  Eileen stepped back a pace, flabbergasted. All the troubles she had on her mind, what with Vera, and her own problems with Bill, and here was gabby Annie tryin’ to pile more on her! Oh, Eileen had Cissie’s measure all right. She thought Eileen would be so grateful for putting her wise about young Billy she’d get all matey and tell her why Harry Sedgemoor’s car had been back and forth so much. But she was out of luck because Eileen wasn’t falling for it. She’d kill young Billy when she got her hands on him, but she wasn’t going to give Cissie Maddox the satisfaction of telling her that.

  All of these thoughts flitted through Eileen’s head in the few seconds it took her to put a smile on her face. ‘Is that what yer wanted me for, Cissie? All this cloak an’ dagger stuff, just to tell me somethin’ I already know?’

  The smirk disappeared from Cissie’s chubby face. ‘Yer mean yer knew he was smokin’, an’ him only fourteen?’

  ‘Yeah, I knew,’ Eileen lied, a silent prayer winging its way to heaven to remind God that a little white lie was necessary now and then. ‘I’ve caught him at it meself, in our lavvy. But boys will be boys, Cissie, an’ I’m not goin’ to lose any sleep over it. An’ I don’t think you should worry about your Leslie smokin’, either.’ Eileen was beginning to enjoy this exchange, and a laugh was building up inside of her. Leslie was Cissie’s eldest son, and the same age as Billy. ‘As I said, Cissie, boys will be boys!’

  Cissie had been leaning against the wall, all matey like, but now she straightened up, her eyes showing the anger she felt at having had the tables turned on her. ‘Are you insinuating that our Leslie smokes?’

  Eileen spread her hands out, her face a mask of innocence. ‘I’m sayin’ nothin’, Cissie, ’cos like yerself, I’m the last person in the world to carry tales.’ With this Eileen turned on her heels, leaving Cissie fuming and vowing to clout their Leslie when he came in.

  Eileen waited till she was back home to relieve her feelings, and her laugh rang through the house. ‘She certainly got her eye wiped,’ she told Bill. ‘I wasn’t goin’ to let Cissie Maddox get the better of me.’

  ‘What happened?’

  Eileen acted out the whole scene, playing the roles of both characters. When playing Cissie, she moved to one side, mimicking to perfection the voice and facial expressions of their neighbour. Her arms waved, her eyes widened then formed slits, and her mouth did contortions. The whole thing was so hilarious, Bill rocked back and forth with laughter. Then when Eileen sat down, he asked through his tears, ‘And does our Billy smoke?’

  ‘How the ’ell do I know? He could be smokin’ like a bloody chimney, but he’s not goin’ to tell me, is ’e?’

  Bill was holding the stitch in his side. ‘And what do you intend doing about it?’

  ‘Break ’is bloody neck for ’im, that’s what I’m goin’ to do.’

  ‘Bit drastic, isn’t it?’ Bill waited till he got his breath back before saying, ‘Before you do anything, can I tell you a little tale?’

  ‘I think I’ve ’ad enough tales today to last me a life time,’ Eileen said. ‘But go ’ed, another won’t kill me.’

  ‘I remember when I was fourteen and had me first smoke.’ Bill smiled across at her. ‘I’d been working for a few weeks, and all the men I worked with smoked. I thought it was the grown-up thing to do, so one night I bought a packet of five Woodbines. Me and me mate, Sammy Dickinson, went down an entry in Grace Road, off Walton Vale, and we smoked two and a half cigarettes each.’ Grinning at the memory, Bill went on, ‘We staggered out of that entry, green about the gills. We felt so ill, we swore we’d never smoke another cigarette. But the feeling soon wore off, and the next week it was Sam
my’s turn to buy the Woodies.’

  ‘Yer mean yer’ve been smokin’ since yer were fourteen?’ Eileen looked bewildered. ‘Yer’ve never told our Billy that tale, ’ave yer?’

  ‘No, and I never will,’ Bill answered. ‘I’m only telling you so you’ll understand that even though he may only be fourteen, our Billy is working with men, and he wants to feel like a man himself.’

  ‘What am I supposed to do, then? Say nowt?’

  ‘Leave it to me,’ Bill said. ‘I’ll have a word with his Lordship.’

  ‘If it’s not one thing, it’s another,’ Eileen sighed. ‘Anyway, I’d better go an’ wake our lodgers.’

  ‘Just a minute, chick.’ Bill pulled at her skirt. ‘There’s something I want to talk to you about.’

  ‘What is it now, Bill? I think I’ve ’ad enough for one day.’

  ‘It’s Ma. She’s been having a go at me about you not eating properly and losing weight.’

  ‘Take no notice of me mam, she’s imaginin’ things,’ Eileen said. ‘She’s always naggin’ me about it, but there’s nothin’ wrong with me. The trouble with me mam is, if she’s got nothing to worry about, she’ll find somethin’.’

  ‘She’s not imagining things, chick, and you know it. You have lost weight, and you’ve lost the colour in your cheeks. It’s not only your mam that thinks that, either, because I do.’

  ‘Well yer both wrong, so yez can stop yer worryin’. There’s nowt the matter with me, an’ that’s all there is to it. And now I’m goin’ to wake Vera.’

  As she reached the door, Bill said, ‘You know, chick, you should be on the stage. Your impressions are spot on.’

  Eileen didn’t answer, but as she climbed the stairs, she muttered under her breath. ‘Bloody marvellous when all yer ’usband can find to say about yer is that yer look all right, an’ yer good at impersonations. Makes me wonder why I bother.’

  Eileen looked down on the sleeping forms, her face sad. Vera was cradling Carol in her arms, and the little girl whose mind would always be that of a child, was sucking peacefully on her thumb. It was beyond Eileen’s comprehension how anyone could be cruel to such an innocent, trusting human being. Aye, there were some wicked people in the world.

  ‘Wakey, wakey!’ Eileen drew back the curtains. ‘Tea’s up, Vera.’

  Vera looked around the strange room, confused for a minute. Then she slipped her arm from beneath Carol and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. ‘I was dead to the world.’

  Eileen’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief. Vera had slipped her dress off before she got into bed, and the ugly red and blue bruises stood out against the white of the sheets. Both arms were covered with them, and her shoulders and chest. ‘Oh, my God, Vera, he certainly ’ad a go at yer, didn’t he?’

  ‘No more than usual, Eileen.’ Vera held her arms out. ‘If I had a pound for every time I looked like this, I’d be a rich woman.’

  Carol began to stir, and Vera put a finger to her lips. ‘Don’t say anything in front of her.’

  ‘I’ll take Carol down,’ Eileen said. ‘Our Billy’s in now, an’ he can look after ’er for a few minutes. You cover yerself with the sheet to make yerself decent, but don’t put yer dress on. I want Bill to see what Danny’s done to yer.’

  ‘Oh, no!’ Vera cried. ‘I couldn’t do that!’

  ‘Please, Vera? He’s sensible, is my Bill, an’ he’ll know what to do. Tellin’ him what Danny’s done, an’ him seein’ for ’imself, are two different things. Yer can’t carry on like this, an’ Bill is the best person I know to give advice.’ Eileen was smiling as she spoke because Carol was now sitting up in bed taking notice. ‘Come on, sunshine, Auntie Eileen will take yer down for some tea.’

  Unaware that anything was amiss, Carol held her arms out. ‘Uncle Bill.’

  ‘Yes, Uncle Bill’s downstairs waitin’ for yer. But I’m not carryin’ yer down, ’cos yer a big girl now.’

  Her hand holding Carol’s, Eileen reached the door. Then she turned her head to look at Vera. ‘Make yerself respectable an’ I’ll be back in a minute.’ A few minutes later Eileen and Bill stood at the foot of the bed. ‘What d’yer make of that?’

  Bill searched for the right words to describe his feelings, but could find none. None that were suitable to say in front of women, anyway. He’d often heard of men beating their wives, but had never seen for himself the result of such beatings. Not until now.

  Vera was clutching the sheet around her, her face as red as the angry bruises. ‘I’m sorry, Bill, but Eileen insisted.’

  ‘Quite right, too!’ Bill could feel a rage building up inside of him. He was not a violent man, but if Danny Jackson had walked in then, he’d have throttled him. ‘If you want my advice, you’ll see a doctor.’

  ‘But I’ll be all right!’ Vera said. ‘Honest, I will! These,’ she threw out an arm, ‘will be gone in a week or so.’ But the pain of the movement showed on her face and wasn’t lost on Bill.

  ‘I can’t, and won’t, interfere in your life, Vera. You must decide for yourself what you want to do. But if you see a doctor, you’ll have all the evidence you need should you decide to leave Danny.’

  ‘That makes sense, Vera.’ Eileen looked at the stricken face. ‘Yer know Doctor Greenfield’s a smashin’ bloke, an’ very understandin’. He’ll help yer, I know he will.’

  Vera’s gaze went from one to the other. These were her friends, and they were trying to help. But she was afraid. If she saw Doctor Greenfield she could be opening the way for a lot of trouble. Then she thought, I haven’t done any wrong, so why should I worry? And Eileen’s right! I can’t go on like this, something has to be done. Not only for my sake, but for the children.

  ‘Okay, I’ll go and see Doctor Greenfield on Monday.’

  ‘By Monday, yer’ll ’ave thought of an excuse not to see him,’ Eileen said. ‘I’ll nip up to Milly Knight’s now and ring ’is surgery from there. If he’s in, he’ll come out tonight an’ see yer.’ When Vera went to object, Eileen lifted her hand. ‘Don’t argue, Vera, I’m on me way.’

  John Greenfield held one of Vera’s arms in his hand, his eyes running over the ugly bruises. ‘Has your husband always been a violent man, Mrs Jackson?’

  ‘When we were first married he wasn’t. He’s always been a loud man, especially when he’s had a few drinks down him, but he never raised his hand to me or the boys.’ Vera winced with pain when the doctor tilted her head to examine the bruises on her neck. ‘It’s only since Carol was born he’s thrown his weight around. He can’t stand the sight of her. I’d never leave him alone with her, ’cos I’d be too frightened of him hitting her.’

  The doctor straightened up and looked across the bed to where Eileen was standing, raised his eyebrows, then gazed down at Vera. ‘Does he ever hit the children?’

  ‘No, I wouldn’t stand for that.’ Vera shivered as she pulled her dress over her head. ‘He’s not what you’d call a good father to the boys, but he doesn’t pick on them, like he does Carol.’

  ‘How often have you had injuries like these?’

  ‘Too many times to count. I usually keep them to meself because I feel ashamed, but me friends know about it now.’

  ‘Well, your husband’s a very lucky man.’ Pointing to a bruise on Vera’s throat, the doctor went on, ‘That blow, so close to the windpipe, could have killed you, and he’d have been up on a murder charge.’

  ‘He wants hangin’,’ Eileen muttered, ‘for what he’s done to ’er.’

  ‘I’ll have to report this to the police.’ When he saw Vera’s eyes widen in fear, the doctor touched her gently on the shoulder. He’d known her since Carol was a baby, but this was the first time he’d seen her since he came back from the army. ‘I have no choice, I’m afraid. The police won’t interfere in a domestic argument between man and wife, but they have to be notified where there’s a chance of a child being in danger. And as I have reason to believe that Carol is in danger, it’s my duty to report th
e matter.’

  ‘Oh, Eileen, what am I going to do?’ Vera twisted round to face her friend. ‘You know what Danny’s like … he’ll kill me if the police call to the house.’

  Through Eileen’s mind flashed snatches of a conversation she’d had with Mary many years ago. According to Mary, Vera had once been an attractive, outgoing woman, always well made-up and dressed in the height of fashion. One line of the conversation stood out in Eileen’s mind now. ‘When I was young,’ Mary had said, ‘I wanted to grow up to be like Vera, ’cos she was beautiful.’

  Looking now at the cowed woman, Eileen had to fight hard to keep her anger at bay. ‘He will kill yer one of these days, anyway, if yer don’t get ’im sorted out. So let the doctor do what he’s got to do, an’ if the high an’ mighty Danny Jackson doesn’t like it, then it’s just tough luck on ’im.’ Under her breath, she added, ‘I won’t lose any sleep if ’e gets ’is comeuppance. In fact, I’d be bloody delighted.’

  John Greenfield suppressed a grin. Since he’d come back from the army he’d found many things changed. But there were some things that even the war couldn’t change, and one of them was Eileen Gillmoss’s sense of humour. She was big and bawdy, but her heart was pure gold. He’d have her on his side, any day.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Eileen spooned the hot fat over the lightly browned potatoes, while her tummy rumbled and saliva formed at the corners of her mouth. Using an old towel to protect her hands, she slid the roasting tin back into the oven, careful not to spill any fat on to the rice pudding cooking slowly on the bottom shelf. The smell of the dinner cooking made her feel more hungry and she sighed as she threw the towel on to the draining board. What the hell I’m starvin’ meself for, God only knows, she thought. It certainly doesn’t seem to be getting me anywhere.

  Wiping her hands on the corner of her pinny, Eileen waddled through to the living room and flopped on the couch. She stretched out her legs, and her dress rode up her thighs to reveal the deep dimples in her knees. The house was as quiet as a graveyard, with the ticking of the clock the only sound to break the silence. Her mam and the girls had gone to eleven o’clock Mass, Bill had taken Vera and Carol home, and young Billy was still in bed. Eileen’s eyes went to the ceiling and she spoke to the empty room. ‘Just wait till you get up, young feller-me-lad, I’ll wipe the floor with yer! Comin’ in at eleven o’clock at night, an’ yer not even fifteen yet!’ She shook her fist at the ceiling. ‘If yer think yer got away with it ’cos Vera was ’ere, then yer’ve got another think comin’. I’ll put a halt to your bloody gallop, mark my words.’